Tripoli -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Libya 's interim parliament Sunday approved a new government , led by Prime Minister Ahmed Mitig , in a controversial vote that threatens to deepen the country 's political and security crisis .

A total of 83 of 93 members present voted in favor of Mitig 's government .

Lawmakers in the Islamist-dominated General National Congress -LRB- GNC -RRB- defied a threat issued by militias allied with renegade general Khalifa Haftar , who promised to storm , raid and arrest members .

The threat was issued by the same group that attacked the GNC headquarters in Tripoli last week , triggering fighting across the capital that left at least four people dead and dozens injured .

Shortly before the vote in parliament , the EU 's special envoy to Libya described the situation as the country 's worst crisis since 2011 .

`` This is the worst crisis Libya has known since the war . Political forces should understand the anxiety of the Libyan people , who expect effective solutions for their daily concerns and problems , '' Bernardino Leon told reporters .

Leon called on politicians to work inclusively and democratically for a political road map and to `` enable peaceful early parliamentary elections . ''

Also Sunday , the outgoing culture minister warned the GNC 's insistence on confirming Mitig 's government could lead to more violence .

`` Today the GNC is beating the drums of war . They want to drive the country into an armed conflict for power after all peaceful and political means have been exhausted ... They are leading the country into a direct confrontation , '' Al-Habeeb al-Amin told Libya al-Ahrar TV .

Mitig , a businessman from the city of Misrata , was chosen to form a cabinet earlier this month in a disputed vote pushed through by the Islamist blocs .

For months , divisions between Islamists and more moderate blocs within the GNC have nearly paralyzed the political process and increased tensions in the country among militias affiliated with the different parties .

The emergence of Haftar and his self-declared Libyan National Army escalated tensions last week , as the retired general called for the overthrow of the GNC he described as `` illegitimate . ''

Haftar also launched what he called an open-ended war on Islamist extremist groups and vowed to `` purge '' Libya of them . His campaign has widened divisions in the country with Islamist and anti-Islamist camps .

In an effort to try to ease tensions , Libya 's electoral commission announced early elections will be held on June 25 .

On Friday , Libyans rallied in Tripoli , Benghazi and other Libyan cities in support of the campaign led by Haftar . While some Libyans do n't back the ex-general and do n't want want military rule , they support what he is doing .

But some say his campaign is an opportunistic strategy capitalizing on growing discontent in Libya with a weak central government and a deteriorating security situation .

Haftar was once a general in the Libyan army under dictator Moammar Gadhafi but had a falling out with him and immigrated to the United States , where he lived for almost 20 years . He returned in 2011 to participate in the revolution that overthrew Gadhafi .

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A total of 83 of 93 members present voted in favor of PM Ahmed Mitig 's government

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EU envoy describes the situation as the country 's worst crisis since 2011

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Retired Libyan general has called for new , civilian council to replace interim parliament